Interesting Facts about Jakarta - Fun Facts about Jakarta

Jakarta, one of the busiest, commercial and tourist destinations in the Republic of Indonesia, covers a sprawling, 637.44 square km area. This city is the center of government, industry and commerce and is known to have the largest and the most comprehensive communication networks in South East Asia. Not only is the city a melting pot of diverse ethnic groups, Jakarta is also the capital city of the world’s largest Muslim country, Indonesia. The capital city also happens to be the largest city of Indonesia. Jakarta is located on the northwest coast of Java Island at the mouth of the Ciliwung River on Jakarta Bay. On the east side, the city has the province of West Java while on its west side it has the province of Banten. Formerly called Sunda Kalepa, the name Jakarta was given by the Japanese, who had occupied Indonesia during World War II. Apart from being a major hub for mercantile activities in South East Asia, Jakarta is one of the chief gateways to all other important tourist destinations in Indonesia such as Bali and Sumatra. If you would like to learn more, listed below are some of the interesting and fun facts about Jakarta.

Image: Casey Ces@flickr

Fast Facts

Country: Indonesia

Continent: Asia

Population: 10,187,595

Area: 740.28 km²

Elevation: 7m

Interesting & Fun Facts About Jakarta

Jakarta is located on the Indonesian island of Java.
It is the capital and the largest city of Indonesia.
Jakarta is the eleventh largest city in the world.
Jakarta officially is not a city. It is a province which has been given the special status of being the capital.
The number of people residing in greater Jakarta is estimated at 23 million, making it the fourth largest urban area in the world.
There are about 13 rivers flowing through Jakarta. The most important river is the Ciliwung River, which divides the city into two parts: the western and eastern hemispheres.
The Indonesia Stock Exchange and the National Monument, Tugu Monas are located in Jakarta.
Jakarta was once part of the Dutch East India Company and gained its independence in 1945.
Jakarta is sometimes called "The Big Durian" by foreigners resident in the city.
Jakarta provides the gateway to many islands, which offer different cultures, jungles, beaches and adventure.
One of the major international schools ‘The Gandhi Memorial International School’ is located in Jakarta.
Jakarta has often played host for international sport events, such as Asian Games of 1962 and Asian Cup of 2007.
Jakarta provides an interesting fusion of modern western architecture and traditional Indonesian culture.
Jakarta can be divided into three sections- the old town in the north, with Javanese, Chinese, and Arab quarters; central Jakarta, with high-rise buildings; and a modern residential garden suburb in the south.
Jakarta is the seat of the University of Indonesia.
Here, you will find that ‘Betawi Malay’ is the official language for the elderly in Jakarta and the more modern, ‘Jakarta Malay’ is a commonly spoken by the younger generation in the city.
This great city finds its origins in the harbor town of Sunda Kelapa, in the early 16th century.
After the city was founded, it was initially re-named to ‘Jayakarta’, meaning ‘Splendid Victory’ by Prince Fatahillah.
150 centimeters of the city’s depth has sunk in many places over the last decade, due to natural calamities.
Before Jakarta earned the name it has today, it was initially named Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta, Batavia and Djakarta.
Jakarta is one of the few cities in South East Asia, with the largest number of museums in the city.
The average rainfall in the city is around 2,000 mm per year and the temperature constantly varies between 22°C and 33°C .
‘Patting on the head’ is considered an evil omen among the inhabitants of Jakarta and some of the other parts of Indonesia.

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